The Damage is Done
by Don't Forget About Me
Summary: Cammie and Zach. Both cheated on. Hurt. Scarred. Torn. Broken. Shattered. Thrown away. Everything hurts right now, and when all they have left is a gym, an old sandbox and each other, then drastic measures are thrown in the mix. Hearts will be at battles with minds. Inner termoil will take place. Hormones will get the best of them. It won't be easy. -T cause I like the letter- AU-
1. Prolouge

The Damage Is Done

Prolouge

She looked around the gym. Then she punched the bag with everything she had. It flew back and came forward as she dodged it before it hit her. With the force she punched it at, it would've sent her flying.

Her name is Cameron Morgan. Call her Cammie.

She kicked it and it slightly ripped open. The foamy-ness behind the hard outer shell was slightly seen.

It was scarred.

Hot tears left her eyes, ignoring her request to herself to stay strong. But she couldn't. She left the room, walking against the glossy wooden floors. She headed for the bathroom.

When she walked through the doors, she looked into the mirror. There stood a girl. She looked small and petite, like she couldn't hurt a fly. She scoffed.

_Ha. That's what they think,_ she thought.

Everyone took the girl in the mirror as weak and sweet. But she was strong and tough. She couldn't be sweet and weak. Not anymore.

Him. He had broken down her walls, made her vulnerable. He came in, led her on, and then broke her heart. _I hate him, _she thought. She hates him. She hates Josh.

But, oh no, she wasn't going to be the weak tease she was then. She wasn't going to let a boy kiss her then go kiss another girl no more than 30 minutes later. That's how it had been with Josh. Oh no, not anymore.

She was going to be tough. She was going to be strong. She's not going to let anyone control her.

Not Anymore.

*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:

Zach looked around the gym. Finally, that girl had left. He doesn't like being around people when he's trying to focus. He went over and punched the already-ripped bag.

He kept fighting the bag like his life depended on it.

He noticed something out of the corner of his eye. It was her. She was watching him. He kept focused and his eyes left the pretty ones that belonged to the girl. She looked normal, but he could sense she was strong. Physically and emotionally. She was like him.

Not that he was a lanky boy or something, no, Zach Goode was muscularly built and was tall. He was strong before, but apparently not strong enough. Because then _she _happened.

_Who cares about her,_ he thought to himself as he punched the object again. His eyebrows furrowed and he beads of sweat got into his eyes. He kept going.

She had loved and left with the snap of his fingers. One moment she said she loved him, the next he had found her making out with some guy in her car when he was coming to ask for a ride. She apologized, but it wasn't enough. She was his first love, she had cheated. Left him crushed and all alone to pick up the pieces of his broken heart, his solid walls.

_I hate Carolina and that stupid Jimmy kid_, he thought.

His walls obviously weren't solid enough.

He wouldn't let anyone play him like that again. He wasn't going to let anyone in again.

Oh, no, never again would he fall in love. It's not the fall that hurts, it's where you land, the thin line between _forever _and _never_. He had landed in never. He still had the scar.

He didn't punch his way out of it. He'd make sure everyone knew he wasn't to be messed with. Ever.

Not anymore.


	2. Unfaithful

T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e

_Unfaithful: not sexually faithful to a spouse or lover. _

~3 weeks ago~

**Cammie's POV**

I looked at Josh .

"So you really aren't cheating on me with Carolynn**(A/N: I know he cheats on her with Carolina, but my friend's name is Carolina, so I decided to change it to Carolynn…a bit similar, but this way I don't feel bad about making Zach hate her.)**?" I asked. I had just caught him hugging her on the way out of school. He was whispering something in her ear as she giggled and nodded. My fists were clenched into balls and I was glaring at him.

"Of course not, Cam! I would never do that." He said, putting his hand up in Scout's Honor and giving me a quick peck on the lips. I laughed and nodded, letting the subject drop as he held my hand and lead me out to his car.

"Hold on, Cammie. I left something in my locker." Josh said before suddenly running away towards the school. But he didn't go in. Instead, he went towards the football field. So being the curious (okay, nosy) girl I am, I followed him. Then I saw it.

Josh. He was sitting there with Carolynn, arms around her waist, kissing her in her car. I saw Zach Goode standing next to me. His face was completely and utterly shocked.

"WHAT THE -?" he shouted at them. They broke away and Carolynn looked at Zach.

"Oh, Zach, you weren't supposed to see that…" she said, no expression whatsoever on her face. She wasn't even affected by the fact that her boyfriend had just caught her cheating on him! It's official. I officially HATE Carolynn Smith.

"Wasn't supposed to see what? You making out with him?" he said pointing to Josh. I glared at Josh with disgust.

"Cam-"he started, looking at me.

"Josh, I don't want to hear it. I can't believe you HONESTLY thought it was OKAY to mess with my feelings like that! First I confront you and you lie to my face. Then I catch you making out with his girlfriend! Do you know how I feel now? Like an idiot for ever trusting you! And you didn't just hurt me, you hurt Zach too. And that's SO not right. I hate you, Josh. STAY AWAY FROM ME!" I screamed at him as I ran towards the school doors. I couldn't go anywhere, Josh was my ride. My house was miles from here.

Then Zach walked in the school. His eyes were pained and he looked really hurt.

"Cammie? Are you alright?" he asked.

Zach Goode and I aren't very close, not really at all. We used to be friends in middle school, but then we stopped in high school… I just guess it was because we were getting busier.

"Yeah." I lied, wiping the tears from my eyes. I didn't want Zach to see me cry. I didn't want his pity.

It was my own fault, letting myself believe Josh actually loved me.

"Well, I'm not." Zach admitted. I was taken-aback. Zachary Goode wasn't the type to show his feelings. He hides them pretty well, actually.

"I'm really sorry. Josh is such a -."

"I would say it's okay, but it's not your fault, so don't take the blame. It's not my fault for Carolynn either, but she's a real** - **."

"I know she is." At that, we both laughed. We talked for a little.

Do you ever know that time in your life when you feel like only one person can feel what you're going through, so you talk to them about it, even though you very-well know it may never happen again and it's most likely a one-time thing? That's what it was. He let me cry and get my feelings out. He made me laugh to feel better. And even though I knew I'm probably not going to be Zach Goode's new best friend, he's fun to talk to. He's a good listener. And a good talker too.

In short, he's a good friend (if you'll excuse the pun.).

-T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e-

~Present~

I was watching Zach at the gym. I haven't seen him around for 3 weeks, excluding the occasional glance in the hallway and small wave in the lunch room. As I thought, we weren't complete "BFFs" either.

A loud smack brought me back to reality. Zach had just kicked the punching bag. _Hard. _

He must still be angry about Carolynn. Makes sense.

I was still pissed about Josh.

I really liked him. And he just went and took that all for granted.

And now I totally hate him.

"Hey, Cammie. What're you doing here?" Zach asked. He was now in front of me and I hadn't even realized it until… now.

"Oh! Hi Zach. Um… I was just… _exercising?_" Ah, crap. That totally sounded like a question.

"Yeah… me too… hence why we're in a gym…" Zach commented, looking at me like I was crazy. And I probably was.

"Uh... yeah. So anyways… are you still… you know…?"

"If you're referring to the whole Carolynn-thing, yes, I'm still upset. She was just so….and I just…I thought…forget it. You probably don't care."

This is why I boys hate talking about their feelings. Because they think no one gets it.

"I do care." I assured him. He didn't give in that easily.

"You don't have to."

"But I want to."

"So what you're saying is that _you _care about _me_?" he asked, returning to his forever-cocky self. "Completely voluntarily?"

"I guess you could say that." I answered with a smile.

"So are we… _friends_ now?" he smirked at me.

"Do you want to be friends?"

"I want to." He said. "Let's get out of here and get some ice cream, _friend._" He tugged on my arm, leading me to the exit of the gymnasium.

"You know, the whole point of going to the gym is so you can lose weight. Not punch stuff then go get ice cream no more than 10 minutes later. It's like, the exercise _rule._" I told him. He smirked.

"Eh. Zach Goode doesn't do rules." He shrugged. I rolled my eyes.

"Of course he doesn't. Come to think of it, I don't think my parents would want me hanging around with such a 'rule breaker'. You're a bad influence on me." I said, smiling again.

"Oh don't worry. I'll charm your parents soon enough. Just give it time."

"The scary thing is that I believe you."

**How was that? **

**REVIEW : ) tell me your thoughts… all that. **


	3. Friends

T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e

: _Friends: a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard:_

_**Disclaimed. **_

Zachary Goode and I actually became _friends_ over those next few days. After the ice-cream, we went to school the next day, heads held high, and avoiding Tina Walters' caring but slightly nosy questions. We didn't want pity. We didn't need pity. We've been getting it for 3 weeks nonstop from everyone but our closest friends… and we figured out something about pity:

It was completely useless.

When I told the girls about Josh, there was no _pity_. They knew it wasn't worth it. Sure, they were death threats(ahem, Bex and Macey), but there was no _pity. _They just listened like the awesome friends they are.

I remember what happened that night:

_I was sitting there. I picked up my phone and pressed the number 4, speed dialing Macey. _

"_Hey Mace." I said when she picked up. _

"_Hey Cams. What's up?" _

"_Oh, well…I found out Josh cheated on me today and –" _

"_Hold on, I'll be right over." _

_No more than 15 minutes later, Bex, Liz and Macey were standing on my doorstep with Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream(even though I already had ice cream with Zach), microwaveable popcorn(warning: do not have Bex make it unless you want it seriously burnt.), Swiss Miss hot chocolate(the kind you just add water too.) and Chick-flicks. _

"_The break-up remedy." I said out-loud. Liz nodded. _

"_We thought it would help." She said softly, her Southern accent lightly recognizable. _

"_Yeah, and I call making the popcorn!" Bex exclaimed happily._

"_NO!" Liz, Macey and I said at the same time. We all burst out laughing as Bex just huffed and stood there, arms crossed. _

"_Sorry, Bexy. But every time you make the popcorn, it's the same color as my hair." Macey said. This time Bex laughed too. _

"_Alright, alright! I get the message." She said, throwing her hands up in the air. "So, Cam…" she said, her gaze drifting towards me. _

"_Oh, hon, please tell us exactly what happened with that mean boy Josh." Liz said, patting my hair sympathetically in a motherly way. _

"_Verbatim?" I asked Macey. _

"_Verbatim."_

- T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e-

"…_So then I walked home." I finished the story. _

"_I'm going to kill that bloody boy. NOW." Bex said, slipping on her sandals and fixing her exotic top. Macey laced her combat boots and adjusted her diamond stud nose ring. _

"_I'm coming with you." She said as they grabbed their jackets and made their way for the door._

"_Guys, you know I love a good beating once and a while, but this is not the time. As much as I want you to, you can't just beat the boy up." I said, blocking their path. But nothing blocks Bex's path. She just moved right along. _

"_Bex, Macey! Please don't. You know violence is never the answer!" Liz's small and fragile voice was raised as she said this. Liz never yells. So this MUST be why Bex and Macey took a step back._

"_Maybe Lizzie's right." Macey involuntarily agreed. _

_But there was no maybe. Liz is a certified genius. She's always right. _

"_But Lizzie! We can't just let Josh get away with lying TO CAM'S FACE and –" _

"_Wait. He lied to your face?" Liz said… or well, yelled, with clenched fists and eyes wide. I nodded, slightly afraid. Liz NEVER got mad. "Oh no. I do NOT tolerate lying. Go out and start the car. We are finding that boy." _

_I never thought I'd see the day Elizabeth Sutton would agree with violence. I'm obviously dreaming. _

_I guess not, because a chorus of "YES!" 'S emerged from the corner of the room where Macey and Bex were standing, high-fiving each other and loudly whooping. _

"_I never said we were using violence! We can just set him straight – with some CIVILIZED conversation." Liz said. _

"_Aw, man." Bex and Macey said in unison. I laughed at their once hopeful faces at the chances of getting to beat someone up. Oh, my friends. _

_I wouldn't ask for anyone else. _

- T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e-

_Bex pulled into the Abrams Family Pharmacy and opened the car door dramatically, slamming it shut no more than a second later. Liz jumped. Macey laughed quietly but quickly followed suit. I just sat there and rolled my eyes, a constant habit I picked up from my Aunt Abby and age four. _

_The door jingled in the front, welcoming us. Bex walked towards the cashier at the counter and put on her sweetest voice. One that everyone but the cashier knew was a fake act._

"_Hi! We're looking for Joshua Abrams. I think he works here…" Bex said, dropping her intimidating British accent. I don't know how she did that so fast. _

"_Oh yes! He's out in the back, unloading some boxes! I don't think he'll mind if you go back there to see him." She replied, equally as sweet. But her sweetness was… real. _

"_Thanks. And your name is…?" Macey asked, not bothering with the sweet accent. Everyone already knew "wild child" Macey McHenry, the product of a cosmetic CEO and a Senator(who was running for president), was everything but sugar-sweet. But she had a heart of gold (that same type of gold that was on the gold and diamond bracelet she gave me from some foreign country for my birthday). _

"_I'm DeeDee. And you're Macey McHenry, right? You're the Senator's daughter? What brought you here to Roseville?" she asked. _

"_That, DeeDee, is classified. Something you don't need to know." And with that, the awesome girl known as Macey McHenry spun on her boots, pulled the sunglasses down over her eyes, and strutted out of the door. I giggled as I saw two junior-high boys drooling waterfalls. _

_I laughed when Bex followed and it came on even more. Liz took a different and safer route. Smart of her. She's pretty too, and she gets embarrassed when people look at her in any way. _

_All in all, my best friends are gorgeous. Then, of course, there's plain old me. _

_But that's another story. _

_So anyway, I smartly followed Macey and Bex out into the back. Josh was standing there, talking to none other than our very own Carolynn Smith. Thankfully, Bex and Macey were smart enough to hold back and eavesdrop. Hey, we're girls. Don't call us nosy, you know you've done it. _

_Carolynn twirled her hair around her finger and smiled flirtatiously as Josh put one hand against the wall, leaning on it, back to us. _

"_Oh, Joshy. You're sooooo funny." she said giggling. Macey practically vomited and Bex pretended to gag herself. Liz had to keep holding back a laugh. I just stood there, mouth open. I'm not good with boys, at all, but I know this was like Carolynn was the author of "Flirting for the Desperate". Macey taught me that much. _

"_Thanks, babe. Hey, I got you something for our one month anniversary." He said, reaching in his back pocket for a necklace. It was silver with a single charm… the letter C. The same necklace he got me for our one month anniversary. Tears formed in my eyes as I reached for the delicate chain that hung from my neck, tore it off, turned around, and threw it across the street. It landed in a trash can. Right where it belongs. _

_Wait… back up. Did he say one month? Oh my gosh... _

"_Oh, Joshy! You didn't have too… but I'm glad you did! It's so preeeeeeettttttyyyy." Carolynn said, examining the necklace before putting it on. She smashed her lips against his and he pushed her against the wall and started kissing her furiously. _

_I couldn't take it anymore. _

"_One month, huh, Josh?" Bex said. He turned around and muttered some very colorful vocabulary under his breath. _

"_Get out of here, slut. I want to talk to Josh alone." Bex said to Carolynn. _

"_You can't tell me what to do, you b-" Oh, she did NOT just call Bex the B word. Macey made that mistake once. She apologized. Carolynn isn't going to live to get the chance. _

"_Listen here. Call Bex that one more time, and I'll have your head hanging in my parents' house in the Alps. Framed." Macey said, getting in Carolynn's face. She backed up. For some odd reason, she wasn't as afraid of Bex as she was of Macey. Probably because while Bex could only ruin her face(plastic surgery is always an option), Macey could ruin her social life. This for Carolynn, would take a LONG time to build back up, at the height she was at. _

"_Whatever. I'm outta here, before I hurt one of you." She said, but she was so bluffing. There was a tremor in her voice. She muttered something like "Call me, Joshy." before run -no sprinting off. _

"_So, Josh," Bex started after Carolynn left. "What the bloody hell were you thinking? Messing with Cam. I should punch you. As a matter 'o fact, I will." She said before punching him in the stomach. _Hard. _He doubled over in pain. _

"_Bex! STOP!" Liz called from behind me. Bex looked at her and her stiff expression softened. She always had a soft spot for sweet and innocent Liz, like she always wanted to keep her that pure and naïve. _

"_Sorry, Lizzie." _

"_Well, Bex may be backing out, but I'm stepping in." Macey said, walking closer to Josh. He was as intimidated by her beautifulness as he was by Bex's swagger. _

"_Listen, _Joshy._ Mess with Cam again, EVER, and even the best hospital will be able to fix you after I'm done with you. Understand? Good." She said, not letting him reply. "Now go back to your stupid girlfriend. Remind her that by tomorrow, both of your lives will be hell, will you? Thanks, sweetheart. Now move along before I make Bex make you move along." She slapped him real hard on the cheek, and a red hand mark was now forming on his face._

_He quickly ran off in the other direction. Macey turned around and hugged me, squeezing me hard. Macey McHenry always cared, but she was never one for showing sympathy in public. This time she did. _

_Soon enough, it became a group hug, and we were all crying together. It wasn't pity, because they were not crying at my expense. They were crying with me. _

That day I realized I really loved my friends. I don't know what I would do without them.

- T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e-

**A/n: was going to stop here. Then realized most of the story was a flashback :/ so here's more: **

Zach was walking next to me, nodding at some of his friends.

"Hey, Cam?" He asked me.

"Hmm?"

"Want to hit the gym today? We can try that new fighting-thing." He offered. I nodded. Lately, I've had a strange obsession with the gym. The place is awesome, and if we worked hard enough, Zach and I go and get an ice cream.

"Sweet. I'll see you at lunch then." He said before walking off to Grant, who was going into Zach's next class. I sighed. Talking to Zach was so easy. He knew what I liked, and knew when to say something or not. He was an awesome friend.

Macey thinks we would be cute. I shook my head when she said this.

"No." I told her. "I don't want another boyfriend for… a while."

"Cam, not everyone is like Josh. Plus, Goode seems… good for you. Ignore the pun." She said as I had laughed to myself.

"I'm sorry, Mace. But I just can't take the heartbreak again. It wasn't fair- I didn't get the fair end of the deal, the simple breakup, the chance to move on…being the breaker, not the "breakee". I'll never get that." I told her before walking away. She just nodded and followed me, changing the topic.

Even Macey knows when to stop.

- T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e-

"This is awesome!" I yelled to Zach as I fought my opponent. I kicked his padded face and he fell back. I kicked his side for a nice finishing touch.

"I know! We are so getting ice cream after this." He said from across the room. I watched as he roundhouse-kicked his person in the chest then kicked their knees, sending them buckling down.

"Definitely." I said as I walked to him. The opponents were still on the ground, gasping for air.

I know what you're thinking –is this all really…necessary?

Yes. Yes it is.

Because that day, when Macey and Bex beat up Josh, all I did was _cry. _All I did was sit there and _cry._

Like a little baby.

Not anymore. I'm not Josh's little girl-toy anymore. He thinks he can mess with me? He's got something else coming at him.

I can fight now. Before, I was just a weak little girl. Now I'm stronger. I can put up a fight. I can be Bex and Macey now. I can be strong.

No one thinks so, but I can be strong. Josh did this to me –he emotionally scarred me for _life. _ It will never be the same again.

What if I get another boyfriend, and he goes and cheats on me again? What will I do then? What if I love him, and he doesn't care?

Because that's what Josh did. And look where we are now.

Scarred. Forever. How was I am I supposed to defend myself if I'm not even emotionally strong?

That's got to change. I can't be that girl any more. I can't be that girl that asked for help. That girl that watched her friends beat up the cheater she so badly wanted to hurt. That girl that was taken for granted.

I can't be her. I just can't.

**How was this… a bit longer? Hopefully…it took up 6 pages in Word :)**

**Anyway, review? Oh, and do me a favor and go to forums and check out the Out of Sight, Out of Time: Forum. I'm there, topXsecret is there… see, all the cool kids are subscribing! :) Ha-ha. **

**Still, check it out. Thanks, and bye guys! **

**-S. **

**P.S. Don't forget to review(; **


	4. Sing

T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e

_: Sing- to produce melodious sounds, usually high in pitch:_

Chapter 3

I walked into the Gallagher section of the gym. The Gallagher section is where most of the running, yoga, etc. takes place. The Blackthorne section is where the weight-lifting, sports, etc. takes place. Both places have sparring/opponent-fighting sections.

"Hey, Gallagher Girl." Zach said from behind me. My heart fluttered a bit by the sound of his voice. What is wrong with me?

"Hi, Blackthorne Boy. What're you doing here?" I asked, moving towards our lockers.

"I could ask you the same thing, but I already know the answer." He smirked as he spun his combo. I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever. I gotta get to the treadmill." I said. Zach gently grabbed my arm. As cliché as this sounds, I felt a spark as he held me. I wonder if… he felt that too. I pushed the feeling away. There is no way I like… _Zach._

"Wait, Cams."

"What? I really have to go."

"Okay, relax! Just wanted to ask if you want to go get ice cream later." Zach said, putting his arms up in surrender. My heart leaped.

This is so different. We always go for ice cream… why did it feel so… different now? But in a nice way.

"Sure." I said and we walked off in opposite directions.

I arrived at the treadmill 2 minutes later, and hopped on next to a thin girl with long legs and shiny blond hair. I couldn't see her face; it was covered by her hoodie.

"_Oh-oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah." _She sang as she walked. Her voice was high and scratchy, sounding like a dying cat. I couldn't help myself.

I laughed.

She turned her face over to me and my laughter immediately seized. It was her. It was Carolynn.

"What are you laughing at?" she snapped. I didn't shrink. This time, _I _was stronger.

"You." I said, placing a hand on my hip. Her eyes widened, not expecting my answer.

"Shut up, like you could sing any better." She shot back.

"I think a_nyone _can sing better than _you._" I said.

"Really? Prove it." She said smugly.

"Sure. When?" I said, sizing her up.

"My party tonight." She replied. "Bring a date."

I cleared my throat. "Uh, how am I supposed to get a date by TONIGHT?"

"Bring Zach." She shrugged; obviously not fazed by the fact that she just suggested her ex as my date. I have to admire her abilities.

"Um…"

"Aw, does whittle Cammie have feelings she's not able to admit?" she mocked. Forget it. I don't admire her abilities anymore. They suck.

"No." I snapped at her. She rolled her eyes.

"Honey, I couldn't care less if you went out with Zach. He's such a tease." She said with a wave of the hand. Anger rose in my body and I had the urge to slap the stupid out of her. How could she think that of Zach? He was so much better than _her. _

"Don't talk about him that way," I practically growled at her. She smirked.

"Sorry. Forgot he was _your _boy-toy now." She added as she was sauntered off, not giving me a chance to reply.

"Oh, and Cammie," she turned around and looked at me. "Let's make this interesting –make the song a _duet._ I want it to be something the guests can dance to, fun." And with that, Carolynn left. Thank the Lord.

But I had a problem.

How was I supposed to get Zach to sing with me at Carolynn's party –let alone go on a date with me?

I wasn't ready for dating. I just broke up with Josh four weeks ago! Sure, he had moved on (before we had even stopped dating), but it wasn't that easy for me. I was still picking up the pieces of my heart and sewing them back together. What if they just fell apart again?

Hot tears left my eyes just thinking about it. _Stop it, Cammie. _I commanded myself. _Don't let them see you cry. _

_You've got to be stronger. _

The physical part was easy –I mean, sure my knuckles bleed when I punched too hard, but I could clean that; so what if my feet killed, I could ice them. But the emotional part wasn't easy. It takes forever to mend a heart back together. I don't think I'm even halfway done.

I wiped the tears away, but they kept coming. My heart was a tangled mess, but my mind was worse. Too many thoughts were running through it, too many worries. I was so stressed.

I reached in my bag for a tissue, but failed to find one. As I was covering my blotchy and wet face from onlookers, I ran into something and started falling back before the person caught me.

It was Zach.

Go figure.

"Cammie? What's wrong?" he asked, concern laced through his voice.

"Nothing." I lied to him. But that lie was mostly meant for me.

"We both know that's a lie." He claimed, reading me like a book.

"I know." I admitted.

"So can I know what's wrong now?" he asked again. I slowly nodded and told him the story.

"So I have to sing with you? And we have to go on a date?"

"Well, if you don't want to, I get it –"

"No, no, I want to. Let's show Jimmy and Carolynn who's boss." He said, smiling. My heart just about burst.

"Yay! Let's go pick a song." I suggested. He nodded and we raced to my house.

T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e

"Let's do _Safe and Sound._" I suggested.

"Nah, that's too slow, remember what she said about upbeat and dance-y? Hmm…What about _Moves Like Jagger_?" he asked.

"Zach! There is no way I'm being _Christina Aguilera_." I argued with him.

"So I'm supposed to be the _Civil Wars_?" he rolled his eyes.

"No! Let's do something fast paced… fun and loud."

"Hmm…"

My phone went off to my new ringtone and we both jumped.

"_You make me feel so! La Na Na Na na."_

"That's it!" we both said in unison. I grabbed my karaoke system from the den and brought it into the living room and tossed Zach a microphone.

"Let's do this."

T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e

I belted out the last "_La Na Na Na Na_." and collapsed on the ground. We had come up with a killer dance routine, and Zach was a good singer. Pun intended. **(A/N: Ashley! That was for you (: Don't you just LOVE inside jokes? Haha:P)**

"That was awesome." We said at the same time. We laughed and walked in to my kitchen to get some water.

"Hey, Gallagher Girl? This is weird but… what should I wear to this… thing?" he asked. I laughed and tossed him my phone.

"Macey's department, not mine." He nodded and went through my contact list, clicking on Macey's number.

I heard a "Hello?" from the other end.

"Sup, McHenry. It's Zach." He said.

"Goode, what are you doing with Cam's phone?" she demanded.

"Can you shut up for five seconds? I just need a favor." He said walking out. I laughed and went back to my water. Zach walked back in no more than 40 seconds later.

"Gallagher Girl, what are_ you _wearing?" he asked. I shrugged.

"She doesn't know." He said to the phone. Then he groaned and handed it to me.

"Macey?" I asked.

"Cameron Ann! I had no idea you had a date, and with Zach!" she screamed. I held the phone away from my ear and blushed, Macey makes it seem like I liked him. Zach smirked.

"Mace, can you puh-lease just tell me what you want!"

"Fine, but we ARE talking about this later. With Liz _and _Bex."

"Oh god."

"Cam, go to your closet." I walked towards my room and Zach followed. I made him stand in the hall while I checked for anything I didn't want him to see (ahem, my diary and _undergarments, _as my mother calls them) and then let him come in.

"Hiding something from me, Gallagher Girl? Putting your diary away?" he teased as I rolled my eyes and lightly blushed. That's exactly what I was doing.

"Are you there, Cam?" Macey asked from over the phone. I nodded even though she couldn't see me. She got the message.

"Okay. Go to the very back and pull out the bag labeled "Cammie." Then open it." She commanded.

I obeyed and found the dark purple bag with "Cammie" written in gold swirly letters. There was also three more, labeled with all of my friends' names. There was a "Bex" bag, which was teal with "Bex" written in silver swirly letters, a "Liz" bag, which was light pink with "Liz" written in cream swirly letters, and a "Macey" bag, which was black with "Macey" written in blood red swirly letters. I've never noticed them before.

"Macey, what the heck are these?" I said, referring to the bags.

"I brought them over one day in case we actually decided to have some fun at one of the sleepovers. Now open yours." She said bluntly, like it was totally okay to put things I didn't know about in my closet.

I brought the bag out and placed it on the bed and looked at Zach, who was admiring the pictures on my desk. He caught me looking at him and winked. I rolled my eyes and opened the lovely bag.

Inside was an outfit just my size and matched the bag. It was a purple, flowing top with a pair of dark wash, tight-but-not-too-tight (just the way I like them) jeans. There were two golden low, gladiator sandals and a long, gold necklace. I noticed there was also a small make-up bag. I opened it to reveal purple nail polish that matched the top, and a gold ring, with purple jewels, in the shape of a bow. No make-up, excluding mascara, clear lip gloss, and a sprinkle of shimmery purple eye shadow –sample sized, only for a few uses.

"Oh, Mace. This is perfect." I gushed to the cell phone.

"I think it looks great, too." Zach said from my other side. I had almost forgotten he was here.

"Thanks. Now lemme talk to Goode." She barked. I handed him the phone and pushed him out of the room, wanting to get changed. As I got into the shower, I still heard bits and pieces of their conversation.

"Yeah, I guess." He said outside of my door as I walked out in a towel and dried myself and blow-dried my hair. I pulled the shirt over my head and the jeans up to my waist.

"What does "tousled" mean?" then I heard him walk away, then back again as I applied mascara and lightly brushed some eye shadow on. I finished that, then tousled my hair into beach waves (Macey-recommended) .

"Wait, where?" then I heard him walk away again. The front door slammed, and he left, obviously not realizing he still had my cell phone. He came back 14 minutes later as I was blowing on my nails and putting on the ring.

"Yeah, she looks great." He said finally. I realized the door was now open, revealing me in my "Macey" outfit while I snapped my sandals. "Good job, McHenry." He added before shutting the phone.

"Wow, Gallagher Girl. You look beautiful." He smiled as I blushed and rushed to the mirror. A beautiful girl stood there. _But she doesn't look strong. _

I quickly put on lip gloss and then took a glance at Zach. I didn't even realize what he was wearing –a pair of dark-wash jeans, gold and white Nike sneakers, and a dark purple button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His hair was silky and tousled, and fell just above his eyes.

He looked _hot. _

"You look nice too." I said simply, though he deserved way more than _nice._ Then I realized something.

"We match." We said at the same time.

"Oh, Macey. Go figure." I laughed. Zach chuckled and shook his head. He held out his arm.

"C'mon, Gallagher Girl. Don't want to be late."

I grabbed my clutch and hooked my arm with his as we walked to our fate.

T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e

We pulled up the Carolynn's house and the sun was starting to go down. I had gotten a million texts from my house to hers:

Like this one from Macey. Who makes me shake my head and silently thank her.

**take a pic 4 me!;) hows ur outfits?;)**

And this one from Liz. Who is so innocently sweet.

**Hey Cammie. Do we still have the sleepover tomorrow?**

And from Bex. Who made me afraid to call her considering the fact that she used my full name.

**Cameron Ann, we need to talk when you get home! Call me!**

And my mom. Who always worked pretty late.

** Kiddo, I'm gonna be home from work late. See you around 12. **

And from Caryolnn. Who apperently has my number.

**r u here yet? Hurry up. I would like to start, like, today. **

I'm so popular. Not.

"Hey, Zach. Can you take a picture with me? Or else Macey will have my head." He laughed and nodded, coming closer to me. He put his arm around me and we smiled. I looked at the picture after it was snapped. _We actually looked like a cute couple._ The thought kept coming to me after I pushed it away multiple times.

"C'mon, Cammie. Let's go in."

T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e

The inside of the house smelled like teenagers and sweat. Typical. I pushed my way through the dancing bodies to find Carolynn making out with Josh in the corner.

"Ahem." I said as Zach cleared his throat. They pulled away, unfazed.

"Ready for your song?" Carolynn asked emotionlessly. We nodded and grabbed two bottled waters from the fridge.

There was another couple up on the tiny stage in Carolynn's den, singing their hearts out to a powerful song. Hard to top. I looked at Zach, who looked back. He was thinking the same thing.

The couple trailed off the stage, echoed by an enormous applause. Carolynn went to the stage and tapped on the microphone.

"Hi everyone, it's me. So there's this girl, Cammie Morgan, who thinks she can sing better than me. So I'm here to prove her wrong. Y'all listen and tell me who's better, considering you already heard me at the beginning of the night." She said as she sashayed off the stage and back to Josh. I told the deejay the song and he nodded his head and handed me two microphones. Zach chugged down half of his water and I took a few sips. We went to the stage and took our places. Zach winked at me. I smiled back. Then the lights went dark.

I started strong.

"_La na na na na."_

As I sang the lights came on again slowly, and the disco ball sparkled. Some people cheered. Then Zach started.

"_I'm one for taking what I think I deserve_

_And your overdue."_

He sang, walking to me. He kept singing as he got closer.

"_And if you listen you can hear me through the radio_

_In that bright white noise."_

I walked to him and sang back, dancing to the beat of the music.

_"Everything you want so let me get up there."  
><em>

I stopped and took a breath then kept singing with Zach.

"_Get a little closer to me girl  
><em>

_And you'll understand."  
><em>

Zach came closer to me, still singing to me. The audience danced along. Zach flashed a smile at me and took a step closer.

"_What I've been missing in my life, what I've been dreaming of._

_You'll be that girl, you'll be that girl, _

_You'll be that –"  
><em>

I went up to him and belted my verse out.

"_I'm the baddest baby in the atmosphere. _

_Tell me what you want so we can do just what you like."_

I was swaying my hips as I was singing, and we were still inching closer to each other from either sides of the stage.

"_La la la la la._

_Na na na na na."_

We sang as the music softened suddenly. Then the strobe lights came on.

We echoed while the lights reflected off of our outfits as we danced.

We ended the song on a strong note, sweaty and with smiles on our faces. They loved us –they were cheering and applauding and demanding encores. Carolynn looked like she had just lost her life savings. Now Zach and I were just inches apart, rather than at the beginning of the performance when we were on opposite sides of the stage.

He closed in the space between us, pressed me to himself, and kissed me.

And I kissed him back.

_**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**_

**I know, I know. A cliffhanger. Let's see where the Zammie goes from here…**

**I picked this song from the "November Playlist" on Ally's website(: **

**Anyways, don't forget to check out the OSOT forum by topXsecret, I'm there! And I love you! (: **

**Oh, and a quick shout out to pinkgallaghergirl619 and Classified: yes I do remember you guys! How could I forget? You're the awesome ones that live in Hawaii! That's totally cool btw. **

**Review for me:) **

**-S. **

**Edit in. Had to take the song lyrics out so I didn't get reported by a reviewer. Sorry it's so complicated. I wanted to put some in there, but that way it's not the whole song and that reviewer won't report me which could get my account removed. The song they're singing, if it's hard to figure out, is "You Make Me Feel" by Cobra Starship. **


	5. Feeling

Disclaimed.

* * *

><p>T <strong>h <strong>e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e

_: Feeling-_ _the general state of consciousness considered independently of particular sensations, thoughts, etc.:_

**Chapter 4**

He pulled away at the same time I did. There were whistles and heartbroken gasps (from girls that had crushes on Zach), stares and glares from everyone. But the only thing I saw were three girls, one with caramel skin, dark brown hair and looked like an Egyptian goddess, had her mouth agape, her hazel eyes filled with shock and surprise. There was another girl standing next to her with pale blond hair and delicate structure that had the resemblance of a fragile pixie, was smiling at me, her eyes softened and happy like they always are. Finally the one with the similar-to-a-model-frame with jet black hair and a diamond nose stud, who was smirking like she knew it before it happened and winked her icy blue eyes at me.

Bex.

Liz.

Macey.

I looked at Zach and then back at my friends then at Zach again. He was looking at me, trying to decipher my emotions.

This was all too weird. I wasn't supposed to like Zach.

_It'll only end in heartbreak. _A voice said at the back of my head. But there was a conflict as a voice coming from my heart said, _Go for it. _

What's that saying… follow your heart? Everyone says that.

People say a lot of things. I don't have to listen.

So instead of facing my problems (like I should have) I did what I did best. I ran.

And ran.

And ran.

I heard them. I heard Zach calling my name and racing after me in his Nike's. I heard Macey telling me it was okay as her stilettos pounded on the floor. I heard Liz's delicate flats as she called for me to please stop running away. I heard the way Bex's sneakers squeaked as she sprinted after me and panting her breath.

I kept running.

I didn't want to face the facts. I couldn't feel this way.

I heard the voice from my mind again.

_He'll just break your heart. He's going to end up like Josh. _

Then the heart started talking.

_Zach's different. He's different. He's one of your best friends –he would never do that. _

I wanted to believe my heart. I wanted to be with Zach. But it all hurt too much. I couldn't do it.

Josh… he ruined me. I wasn't still in love with him.

That's it! That's what I've been telling myself –you're still in love with Josh. But I'm not.

Honestly, I don't even know if I ever was. My mind told me that, so I believed it. But whenever I thought of loving Josh, there was always this stabbing pain in my heart. This weird feeling. It wasn't a fluttery feeling. It _hurt. _

Josh hurts.

Josh will hurt you.

That's what my heart's been telling me. So why didn't I listen to it?

I was still running away. I ran all the way to the park where I used to hang out when I was small. I used to play with this boy from my preschool class in the sandbox. He had green eyes. We would play kingdom. I was the queen and he was the king. We ruled the kingdom with greatness. That little boy was one of my first friends. He was one of those friends you always feel close too, even after being apart for years. You catch up fast, and it's all back to normal again. He was the good kind of friend.

He was Zach.

I remember those much, much easier days, when Zach and I would play kingdom in this very sandbox where I was sitting right now. I remember what we would say.

"_Queen Cammie," Zach said. I looked at him and princess waved to the imaginary kingdom. _

"_Yes King Zach?" I asked. He looked at the soldiers he had brought with him to the castle. _

"_Queen, we have intruders!" _

"_Oh no, King! Quick, bring out the knights!" _

_Then we would laugh and giggle as we smashed the soldiers into the sand. _

We did this every day at playtime in preschool. It never got old.

I don't really know what happened to the friendship Zach and I had. I guess it ended in the fourth grade, when if you talked to a boy, you were automatically going out with said boy. So we kind of spilt off, but we still came to the playground to play kickball when no one was around. Then in middle school, it completely vanished. Zach was very popular all of the sudden. And I had a lot of friends, but wouldn't consider myself popular. But I had Macey, Bex, and Liz. So it was different.

Then that day, that day I caught Josh cheating, our friendship lingered for a moment. Then it vanished just as quick until three weeks later, when he took me out for ice cream. It all came back again that day.

I was thinking about all of this in that sandbox. I touched the roughed edge where I had once gotten a splinter in the red wood and Zach had to take it out as tears flowed from my eyes in pain.

I gently sat in the sand, running the grains through my hands. I know Macey would kill me later for getting sand on this outfit, but I didn't care right now. I was thinking.

I grabbed the lonely bucket that was sitting by the edge of the box. I scooped sand up in it and made a castle. I buried my hand deep into the sand and felt a sharp edge. Then more sharp pains struck my hand. I curiously dug through the sand to see what had hit me.

They were soldiers. Those green soldiers like the ones in Toy Story. I set them up around the castle and started playing; sadly wishing the preschool days were back.

Everything was much clearer then.

Behind me, I felt the presence of another person. I turned around and saw the other part of my kingdom: Zach.

He sat down next to me without a word, eyeing the green soldiers and quietly chuckling to himself.

Then he looked at me, a playful look in his eyes.

"Queen Cammie," he said broadly, like he did in Pre-K. Except for the fact that this time his voice was much deeper and you it wasn't that much of a difference. I laughed at his voice and reached deeper in the sand by Zach. I felt a piece of cardboard and pulled it up.

It was his crown we made out of glitter and stickers.

I shook off the sand and saw a majority of the glitter had come off and the stickers were peeling. But it was still fit for a king. I placed it on his head gently, and it barely fit. I giggled as the memories came flooding back.

Zach did the same, pulling out a tiara from his side. It was almost like his, but it was cut a bit differently. He placed it on my head and whispered to me.

"Fit for a princess. Or should I say, _queen._" I laughed and waved. The princess wave that this queen wasn't afraid to do.

"Yes, King Zach?" I asked him. He smiled and looked at his soldiers with faux-fear –the same way he did when he was four.

"Queen, we have intruders!"

"Oh no, King! Quick, bring out the knights!" I said as we laughed and buried the soldiers in the sand with our "knights".

Then I had a weird flashback. Zach and I were still here, but he was smaller and more kid-like. So was I. Our crowns actually fit. We were preschoolers. We were having fun. We were worry-free.

I realized this is how it was with Zach.

I realized this is how it _always _was with Zach.

I realized I had a preschool-worthy time with Zach.

I realized I _liked _Zach.

So I did the most un-Cammie-like thing ever. As we were laughing, I put my hand on the back of Zach's neck, pulled him to my lips, and kissed him.

I kissed him.

It wasn't a He-kissed-me situation; it was an I-kissed-him situation. He obliged, pulling me closer and kissing me back.

We pulled away minutes later, breathy heavily.

"Well, I guess this isn't preschool anymore." We said together. We threw our heads back and laughed at our alike-minds.

I realized I didn't want to ruin this friendship

* * *

><p><em>I felt my heart<em>

_Was trying to find the place for you to stay_

_A place where I feel safe_

"Hey, Zach?" I asked him suddenly. He looked at me, as if signaling me to go on. I did.

"I'm sorry for running away from you. I just… I was scared. I was scared you'd be like… Josh."

A tear slid down my cheek. I didn't cry. I couldn't cry. I _wouldn't _cry.

Big girls don't cry. Stronggirls don't cry. _Respected _girls don't cry.

I realized something (you know, I've been realizing a lot of things today.) –I didn't just want to be strong. I wanted to be _respected. _

All my life, I've been the nice and sweet push-over girl that everyone thinks they can walk all over.

Josh wasn't the only one who scarred me, he just deepened it the worst.

I wasn't going to be her anymore. I wasn't going to be a pushover, sweetheart girl anymore. Too many people ruined it for me.

I was going to be tough. I was going to be strong.

I was going to be _respected. _

I didn't care how much it takes; I was going to be respected.

I don't care if people are scared of me; I'm going to be respected.

I don't care if people try and stop me.

"Gallagher Girl, I get it. You're hurt. You're scarred. It wasn't just Josh, you know. I've seen you get trampled on and ignored. It hurts me too." I looked at him as he said this. He continued, looking away and into the distance.

"I don't think you understand –I'm hurt too, Cam. When my mom died last year, there was an empty hole left there. Everyone was sympathetic and gave me pity. I don't want pity. I want to be respected for who I am, not some little weak boy who lost his mom and who's dad is always away on business. I needed to make something of myself, I wanted to be respected. I'm always treated like some popular player-guy who doesn't care about anyone else and can get any girl he wants. That's not true.

My mom left that hole. I thought Carolynn filled it. Then _she _left."

By this point, I was choked up and sad. I hadn't even known Zach's mom had died during freshman year.

"But she hadn't filled it. I didn't really love her. I thought I did, but she was just a replacement."

Zach was still looking away, his eyes glinting with tears. But he wouldn't cry. He was like me.

Crying was worthless.

We should save our tears for when we really need them.

But that's _really _difficult.

_Take my hand_

_Let's go into the trees_

_I remember feeling like this part of us will never change_

"Cammie," he continued. He turned to me. "You fill the hole. You filled the hole in my heart."

Zach and I were alike and different in many ways.

We both needed to be stronger. We both needed each other's love. We both had problems. We both needed respect.

But I had scars, while as Zach had holes. My scars got deeper. His holes got wider.

My scars were because I was mistreated. Zach had a hole in his heart because he lost his mom.

I smiled at him. He smiled softly back. I lay down on the pure, white sand and looked up at the beautiful stars in the sky. Zach lay down next to me.

My hair sprawled out and circled me.

The next minute Zach and I were pointing to constellations in the sky.

It was like one of those movies –too perfect to be real. Too cliché to be amazing. Too good to be true.

We fell asleep, about a half hour later, in that very sandbox where we used to take naps in preschool and our mothers had to pick us up and take us home.

_In the rain, in the dark we'll lay_

I woke up cuddled underneath Zach's arm. I was comfortable, no matter how itchy this Macey-outfit was, and wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon.

"Gallagher Girl, I know you're awake." I looked up at the sky, realizing it was still dark.

"What time is it, Zach?" I asked him, yawning and stretching out my arms.

"Midnight."

"Perfect!" I exclaimed. Midnight was the perfect time to go up to Cherry Hill.

My dad used to take me up to Cherry Hill when I was little. I go up there sometimes, missing him and wishing he was back. He left on a very long-term business trip for 3 years around the world. _One and a half more years to go, _I thought as I pulled Zach up and led him the few blocks away to Cherry Hill.

"Where are we going, Gallagher Girl?"

"Just follow me, Blackthorne Boy."

_It's always been the same_

I led him past the trees and into the woodsy area. Just beyond us, there was the beautiful Cherry Hill that my dad used to take me too. I would fall asleep in his arms, and he would carry me home.

But I wanted Zach to see something special up there.

"Oh, I know this. My mom took me here once when I was really small. She showed me the trees and pointed out the animals." Zach said, smiling at the memory. I grinned at him and showed him up the hill.

The moon was out and shining so brightly. When we got to the top, I saw the memory again.

The beautiful lake. The way the moon reflects against it. The lovely view. The sight of rocks and glistening water. The smell of moss. The sound of sweet silence.

I loved every second of it.

"It's so beautiful." Zach said, not wanting to disturb the peacefulness. I nodded, slipping off my sandals and placing them on the grass. Zach unlaced his sneakers and removed his socks, then gently placed his foot on one of the smooth stones. It was rocky, but not sharp. It was perfect.

He rolled up his jeans and moved out to the water. I pushed up mine, crimpling the delicate fabric. Macey wouldn't mind once I told her this story.

I followed him out, curling my toes at the cool water. It was dark and pure, lovely and real. Mysterious and wonderful.

We just stood there, ankle deep in the lake, staring up at the big moon. The water pushed up on our feet and felt refreshing, as if we were washing all of the hurt off.

_Anything we have known, anything we've forgotten_

The sky was very clear tonight. You could see the stars perfectly, a select few shining especially brightly, as if showing off their colors. It was a lovely sight. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

"Cammie?"

"Hmm?"

"We'll be okay. It's okay. We'll be okay. I heal your scars. You'll fill my hole. We'll be okay. I promise." He whispered softly, just loud enough for me to hear.

"I know, Zach. I know." I whispered back. And I believed myself.

In that moment, I let myself cry. I wanted to cry. I wanted to cry about missing my dad. I wanted to cry about being taken for granted. I wanted to cry about being mistreated. I wanted to cry about not knowing about Mrs. Goode. I wanted to cry about forgetting about Zach. I wanted to cry about being strong. I wanted to cry about being Josh's idiot. I wanted to cry.

I _wanted_ to cry.

So I did. I cried into Zach, like a little baby. At that moment, I didn't care. I didn't care that Zach saw me weak. I didn't care that he saw me vulnerable. I felt safe there, in his arms. I knew that I would be cared for. I knew that I wouldn't be forgotten. I knew that I wouldn't be taken for granted.

I knew I would be respected.

_In your arms, in your arms I'll stay_

* * *

><p><strong>That's it for now (: I know most of you don't really listen to Kina Grannis, and I just discovered this song in school, and it really went along with this chapter. For those of you who have heard it, I know it's happy and cheerful, but I took a Zammie twist on it. So yeah. ;) <strong>

**Shout out to… well, everyone! I love you all. And I'm **_**really **_**glad there's too many of you to shout out to. That makes me insanely happy. **

**Okay, so who saw the Hunger Games? How insanely awesome is it? Totally epic! I love it to death! **

**You know the drill on what I'm saying next: Check out my other stories, don't forget about my sista topXsecret's forum, I love ya to death, yada yada. I hate when I have to write long Author's Notes, but I had to put one in here. Hopefully there won't be anymore. **

**Review? **

* * *

><p><strong>Edit In. So I had to take the full song lyrics out. I know. I know. Sorry. But I had to so I could fit the Rules and Regulations. Also so I wouldn't be reported by a reviewer who said she would report me if I didn't remove them in a week. Sorry. <strong>

**Thanks for understanding. Thank goodeness this is the last story I had to fix to fit the rules so she wouldn't report me. And I'm insanely tired because I just got back from a 12 hour track meet a few hours ago and I've been doing this for about two hours. So I'm super tired. Ugh. **

**Love you. 3**


	6. Interrogation

T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e

**Chapter Five**

_:: interrogation - The action of interrogating or the process of being interrogated: "criminal interrogations". ::_

_Third Person POV_

Bex Baxter, Liz Sutton, and Macey McHenry got out of the Bex's car and walked to the Roseville Exercising and Athletics Center. The woman at the front desk greeted them with a smile.

"Good afternoon, girls. Do you have a –,"She started, her smile turning into a lipstick-red pout as Macey cut her off.

"Look, lady," she said, her ponytail swaying as she talked. She dropped a ten dollar bill on the counter. "Show us where the Blackthorne section is. We're here to pick someone up."

The secretary picked up the crisp bill swiftly and got out of her seat. "Right this way," she said, guiding them.

The two-minute walk to the Blackthorne section was a silent one, as Bex admired the weights from afar, Liz felt especially small and weak, and Macey ignored the whistles and glances coming from either side of her. "Here you are," the secretary said, still clutching the bill in her hands. "Have a nice day."

"You too," Liz said quietly as the secretary walked back to the front desk. "Should we go in?" she asked, intimidated and uncertain.

"Yeah, definitely." Macey assured her, walking in first. To her right, there was a boy their age, chugging down an Aquafina.

Zach.

"Goode!" Bex called from where the three girls stood. Zach lowered the water from his mouth and looked for the person calling his name. Liz waved as his eyes found them. He walked over, surprised and suddenly suspicious.

"What're you guys doing here?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Cammie's usually in the Gallagher section, if you're looking for –"

"Actually, Zach," Macey interrupted. "We were looking for you."

"Can I ask why?"

"No," Bex replied. "But what you can do is get your stuff and come with us."

"Yeah," Zach said, turning around. "I'm gonna take a rain check."

"No, you aren't." Macey commanded. "What you're going to do is get your stuff and come. With. Us."

"I don't think so," Zach smirked. "If you haven't noticed, I don't usually follow orders."

"Zach?" a small voice interrupted. It belonged to Liz. "Please? We only want to get to know you a little better before you start dating our best friend."

Zach sighed. Even _he_ couldn't say no to Liz. "Alright," he agreed. "But I'm not going to be happy about it."

"Eh, you'll get over it." Macey said, but Zach had already walked away to grab his things. "Do you have the rope? The duct tape?" She whispered quickly to Bex, who replied with a lethal thumbs up and a Cheshire cat grin. "Excellent!" Macey exclaimed as she cackled like a witch.

Liz was quite frightened by two things: A) that Macey could cackle like a witch. And B) that they needed a rope. And duct tape.

Zach had no idea what he just signed up to do.

T **h **e **D **a **m **a **g **e **I **s **D **o **n **e

"Why are we at Cammie's house?" Zach asked curiously. Bex looked at Macey. That was a really good question.

"Because this is the only house we have the key to where no one's home?" Liz said, making the answer sound more like a question. Macey almost protested, until she realized her housekeeper was at her home. Probably going through her stuff.

"Yeah," Bex agreed. "That's why. Now get out of the car." Zach obliged with a smirk.

"Is Gallagher Girl home?" he asked, still smirking.

"Actually, no." Bex said, forgetting where Cammie was in the first place.

"She took her cousin out to eat for her birthday, remember?" Liz reminded them. "Oh, right." Macey said.

Zach's smirk turned into a frown. "Just get in the house, Goode." Macey said, rolling her icy eyes. "Your precious Gallagher Girl will be home soon enough." Bex snickered as she opened the door.

"You can sit right there," she said, pointing to a chair in the kitchen. Zach took his seat cautiously. It wasn't long before he pulled out his cellphone and started texting. Bex snuck up behind him, reached into her hobo bag, and pulled out a red braided rope. Liz's eyes widened with fear while Macey's grew huge with excitement. She nodded as Bex swiftly tied a knot to the back of the chair (with Zach failing to notice) and quickly started wrapping it around him.

"What the f-?" he started, but was cut off by Liz's hard glare at his attempt at cussing and Macey swiping his cell phone out of his hands. "You won't be needing this." She told him, tossing it carelessly on the dining room table while Zach struggled to get out of the tight roping circling his body.

"Don't move," Bex warned him. He didn't listen. "Alright, your choice. You keep moving like that and you'll have cuts and rope burn all over your body."

This happened to cause a fight between Bex and Zach about whether or not he should call the police when he gets out.

"Zach," Liz spoke up, automatically ending the argument with Bex's face turned up into a smug grin. "I think Macey has something to say." Everyone turned to the raven-haired beauty.

"Listen, Goode. We'll be asking a few …questions," Macey started, suddenly interested in the state of her fingernails. "A game, if you will."

"Like, twenty questions or something?" he guessed.

"Something a bit more elaborate than that," Macey replied. "It's similar to twenty questions, but more like twenty questions about… other people. Get it?"

"Got it."

"Good," Macey replied. "Let's start. What color is Liz's hair?"

"Um, blonde? I can see her, just in case you forgot," Zach said. "Is this a trick question?"

"No, no. You got it right," Macey assured him. "Okay, your turn."

"Actually," Bex interrupted. "He already asked his question by asking "Is this a trick question?" so therefore, his turn is over." Bex grinned widely. Zach glared. And Macey looked impressed.

Liz? She was making cookies in the kitchen.

"Whatever." Zach mumbled.

"My turn," Macey announced. "Hmm… what color are my eyes?"

"Blue? That was a stupid question, I looking right at you." He said.

"No it wasn't," Macey protested. "_Now_ it's your turn."

"Okay," Zach started. "Why are we playing this game?"

"Because we're girls," Bex started to answer. "And girls to weird things."

"That couldn't be any more correct," Zach said under his breath.

"Alright, alright. We can stop trash-talking females now," Macey rolled her eyes. "What's Bex's favorite thing to do?"

"Hurt people?" He guessed.

"No it isn't!" Bex said. "My favorite thing to do is do math homework."

"Bex, this isn't the time for games," Macey said, slightly irritated.

"Aren't we playing a game?" Zach asked, even more confused than he was five seconds ago.

"Yes," Macey answered. "My turn… hmm, what does _Cammie_ look like?"

"She has dirty blonde hair, and eyes that change color," Zach started, clearly not finished. Macey and Bex watched in amusement. "And she has pink lips, and a little nose."

The oven from the kitchen dinged, making everyone jump a little with surprise. "Okay, onto my question," Zach said, breaking the silence. "Why'd you ask me what Cammie looked like? It's not like you don't see her every day."

"We can ask whatever we want, Goode." Macey replied. "What's Cammie's favorite color?"

"Purple."

"Where's Cammie's favorite place to be?"

"The lake by the forest. Isn't it my –?"

"Just answer the questions, Goode," Bex growled. "Your turns are over."

"Who wants cookies?" Liz called from the kitchen. Everyone's eyes' widened. Even Macey, who rarely ate sugar before she started hanging around Liz and her improving baking skills (because honestly, ever since she'd almost burned her house down making muffins with her sister, she started taking lessons.), was in the mood for a bite of chocolaty goodness.

"Lizzie, can you bring them over? Please?" Bex called, begging for cookies. Everyone watched as Liz piled a plate with cookies and brought over a pitcher of milk and four glasses.

Everyone, even Zach (who was tied to a chair), found a way to stuff their mouth was cookies.

"Cammie's going to be so mad when she realizes you made cookies without her being here," Bex said with a stuffed mouth.

"Why am I going to be mad?" a voice said from the door. Cammie stood there, first surprised, then smiling, then confused, then mad. "Why do you guys have Zach tied to a chair?"

"We were, um…" Macey tried to speak, but had nothing to say. Zach swallowed to cookies in his mouth and took a sip of his milk.

"They were only playing twenty questions with me, Gallagher Girl." Zach said, trying to calm her nerves. "We got to know each other a little better."

"Okay," she sighed. But she gave the stern mom look of _We'll talk about this later_ to Macey and Bex, who hung their heads down in shame. Cammie untied the rope, setting Zach free. Quickly grabbing another delicious cookie off the plate, he got up and headed for the door.

"See you tonight, Gallagher Girl," he said, giving Cammie a quick kiss on the cheek and making her flush red. This time _she_ got the stern mom look. "Bye, ladies."

He opened the door and walked out, slamming it shut and leaving the four girls with a lot to talk about.

Cammie snatched a handful of cookies off of the almost-empty plate before slumping down in the interrogation chair.

"Twenty questions?" she asked them, shaking her head.

"See you tonight?" Bex replied, raising an eyebrow.

Cammie munched on her cookie, ignoring the question.

"Cameron," Bex warned.

"Rebecca," Cammie mocked.

Macey rolled her eyes and Liz sighed, both pouring another glass of milk for themselves.

This was going to be a _long_ night.

* * *

><p><strong>an. <strong>

**oh. my. gosh. i'm so sorry. really. there's no real excuse here but writer's block and laziness. **

**I never thought it would get as far as three months! I missed you guys! And I'm really sorry! I hope this made up for it :) **

**Thanks to _violets-are-violet _for beta-ing this for me. so if i missed anything she told me to fix, it's my fault not hers haha ;)**

**review for me, please? i know you must hate me, but please? i love you guys! and i'm offering free teasers for the next chapter (which will be up in the next two weeks or you guys can hurt me) for anyone who does! swearsies! :D **

**but i did miss you guys. a lot :'( thanks for sticking with me :) **

**-Sol **

**p.s. I changed my penname, but it's still me. :) **


	7. Safe Haven

**an: long time no update. lots have changed. this is disclaimed, I don't own ally carter's characters nor Take Care by Drake ft. Rihanna. thank you. please note this is AU and has nothing to do with united we spy.**

**sorry if this disappoints you. i tried.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

safe haven: a place of protection

* * *

><p>I tried walking out the door right then and there. I really, really did.<p>

But that's where best friends come in.

"That little move you just pulled there," Bex said sarcastically, blocking my way from the door. "That was real cute. Nice try, Ms. Morgan."

Even though this _was _my house, meaning I could come and go as I pleased. However, I'd rather stay and be verbally prosecuted than face the wrath that is Rebecca Grace Baxter.

"Try being the key word," Macey added in her signature Macey-tone (bored, but interested) as she filed her nails at the counter.

I rolled my eyes, ignoring them and heading back to the counter for another cookie, only to be greeted by a plate of crumbs, scowling at Liz's innocent smile as she wiped a napkin across her guilty face. "I don't remember tying up boys with rope as a flirting technique," I said. "I must've missed that article in last month's Seventeen."

"Please, the last thing I would want to do is flirt with Zachary," Macey snorted. "I've got my little politician's boy for that."

Liz remained fairly quiet while we were talking. She blushed a little when I mentioned the rope, and I could tell there was something up.

"It wasn't your idea, was it Lizzie?" I asked suspiciously. By then she was full on red, and Macey was laughing so hard she stopped pampering herself.

"The truth comes out!" Bex teased as Liz started giggling. I sat there laughing but shaking my head at the same time, wondering how I could be so… _fortunate _(treading lightly here people.) to have friends as ridiculous as mine.

"If you think about it, it's about time Cameron here got a boyfriend," Macey said, regaining her breathe.

"He's _not _my boyfriend," I said, once again rolling my eyes. Then, under my breath, I uttered a one-syllable that could keep me here for the next two hours. "Yet."

* * *

><p>An hour and twenty minutes after I had made the mistake of my life, I was then furthered tortured by pampering (forty minutes) which left Zach waiting in the living room as I came downstairs 15 minutes after I was supposed to be out the door.<p>

I took one look at him as he took one look at me, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing.

"Let's get out of here."

* * *

><p>We were riding in the car when a Rihanna song came on.<p>

"O.M.G.," I said, being the 16 year old girl I was. "Turn this up, this is my all time _favorite _song."

Zach obeyed and turned up the radio as Rihanna sang to the tune. "You really have a thing for pop music." He smirked.

"No, this has Drake in it! That makes in R&B right?"

He just looked and me and laughed. Then he recognized the song.

"You like this song?"

"Um, yes. Do you?"

"Yeah, I actually do," he said, surprising me. Then he started singing along. All I could do was pray. Pray for strength. Pray for forgiveness. Pray to God that I wouldn't cause a car crash from jumping on Zach right now.

"_I've had mine, you've had yours we both know."_ He sang as we pulled into a traffic jam. Then he looked at me and began to sing, making lovey faces and mimicking Drake but still sounding like an angel. "_They won't get you like I will, and my only wish is I die real, cause that truth hurts and those lies heal and you can't sleep thinkin' he lies still, so you cry still, tears all in the pillow case, big girls all get a little taste, ah, pushing me away so I give her space, ah, dealing with a heart that I didn't break…"_

I never noticed these lyrics as hard as I did then.

"_You don't ever have to worry. You don't ever have to hide," _Zach sang to me.

"_And if you let me, here's what I'll do, I'll take care of you."_ I sang back.

"_I've loved and I've lost." _We sang together.

And then I turned to him. And right then, I have no idea what came over me. But I leaned forward and I kissed him.

* * *

><p>We arrived at our destination ten minutes later, satisfied, him smirking, me blushing, and starving.<p>

I couldn't get into the diner fast enough. As I practically hustled up the stairs, Zach looked at me and laughed. "Calm down, Gallagher Girl," he said. "I promise the food's not going anywhere."

"You don't know that for sure!" I said to him, my stomach practically growling.

"Of course I do. I know everything." He said cockily.

After scarfing down my entire plate of food in a completely unladylike fashion (oops.), Zach and I took a walk around the park area surrounding the diner.

"This is a cute little town," I said as we walked down the street.

"Yeah. My mom grew up here," he said. I shivered a little and he gave me his sweatshirt. I put it on, taking a huge whiff of his scent as discreetly as possible, trying to figure out how so much sexy could be bottled into a 17 year old boy.

I pulled out my cell phone and checked the time. "We should head back."

"Or we could just stay here and live here forever," Zach said, looking at me. "No one would find us here, Gallagher Girl," he looked ahead. "No one would hurt us."

"You'll get hurt anywhere, there's no safe haven." I said coldly, thinking of the past behind us.

"But you're my safe haven."

* * *

><p>"How was it?" Macey asked as I walked in my kitchen. "I can't tell if your lip gloss is gone from food or kissing. It's supposed to be 24 hour wear, but if you were making out with Goode I can see where that went wrong."<p>

I ignored her, but I knew I had to be somewhat blushing. "Is my mom home yet?"

"Both of your parents were both home, but they went out. They made me food though," she said, pointing to her empty plate once full of mac and cheese.

"Where's Bex and Liz?"

"Well… you see, Bex was trying to do this kick move thing she saw on TV and she, uh, broke your lamp."

I just shook my head. "But they're buying you a new one!" Macey said half-enthusiastically. "But really, how was it?"

It only took one word to describe the entire evening.

"Terrible."

"Why? Is he too tonguey? I hate when guys are too tonguey."

"No. He's perfect. He's… too perfect."

"Is that even possible?"

"Yeah. It was terrible." I sighed. Macey looked at me.

"Because I think I'm falling in love."

* * *

><p><strong>our beloved series is over but our sisterhood is forever.<strong>

**forever yours, **

**sol**


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